Determination inspires compassion

By the time she'd graduated from El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Kaitlin Sandeno was already a decorated Olympic medalist. At 17, she won her first bronze medal in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Her future as one of the best swimmers in the world was certain.

Then while training for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, her future nearly went under. A back injury left Sandeno debilitated and unable to practice. The diagnosis, her doctors told her, was a stress fracture. She might be able to swim again, but returning to the level of competition she had worked so hard to achieve was just not likely to happen.

At first, Sandeno was devastated. Then she became determined.

Refusing to accept that this would be a career-ending injury, she instead worked diligently through therapy and treatment, focused on one goal – to get to Athens.

In a near-impossible achievement, Sandeno went on to win three medals in the 2004 Summer Olympics: a silver, a bronze and a gold. “As an athlete you are always facing injury, fatigue and other ups and downs,” Sandeno told me. “How you react to your challenges separates the good from the great athletes.”

Sandeno's positive attitude and determination to never give up allowed her to define her own future and finish her career as an Olympic swimmer.

Ten years later, Sandeno gives time to be the national spokeswoman for the Jessie Rees Foundation, and her hard-earned medals have become a means to inspire kids around the world.

Frequently, the children she visits have been cooped up in hospital beds for days, weeks or even months. She shares stories of her medals and of her own victory over life-changing injury as a way to encourage these kids to “Never Ever Give Up,” no matter how tough the journey may be.

She has also recruited other Olympians like Jason Lezak, Rebecca Soni and Jessica Hardy to volunteer their time to spread hope, joy and love to kids fighting cancer locally and nationally.

It was after meeting Jessie at a fundraiser back in April 2011 that Sandeno knew she wanted to volunteer to be part of what Jessie was doing – touching the lives of kids fighting cancer.

“I remind them that they are strong and not alone,” Sandeno says. “I want them to know we are all behind them.”

And then she hands them their own medals, as a reminder of the bravery they display. “Seeing a child's face light up when I walk into their hospital room is absolutely priceless.”

While competing in the Olympics and speaking before audiences are vastly different occupations, Sandeno says in many ways they are the same.

“Being a courageous athlete and a compassionate person go hand and hand,” she said. “Life is hard, and it's so important to be a teammate to someone. Whether you are training for a marathon or fighting hard in the hospital, having someone behind you, encouraging you, is powerful.”

Being that teammate to countless kids, Sandeno says, is priceless, “I feel like there is truly nothing more rewarding than making a difference in a child's life, especially one who is fighting hard to live. And I get to do something that I absolutely love, every day.”

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.